Camille has been laid off more than once. The first time, she gave herself space to figure out what she actually wanted. The second time, she ran from unemployment and straight into the wrong job.

Those two experiences taught her an important lesson:

Know what you're running toward, not just what you're running away from.

In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Camille Romero to talk about layoffs, fear, networking, career transitions, finding the right fit, and remembering that your value exists independently of your job title.

During Camille's first layoff, the world was entering COVID and hiring had largely stopped.

She was forced to slow down.

Instead of racing toward another job, Camille spent time exploring her strengths, what she wanted to do next, and the kind of people she wanted to work with.

She kept networking.

Eventually, one of those conversations turned into an opportunity so naturally that she didn't even realize she was interviewing when the process began.

Her second layoff was different.

This time, Camille panicked.

"I ran away from unemployment rather than running to my next job."

She prioritized finding another role quickly instead of finding the right fit and ended up in a culture that wasn't right for her. Eventually, she negotiated her exit and later started her own business.

In this episode, we cover:

• Getting laid off more than once

• Rushing into the wrong job after a layoff

• Making career decisions from fear

• Finding the right cultural fit

• Networking during a job search

• Why you shouldn't wait until you need something to network

• Building relationships instead of transactional connections

• Asking your network for help • Remembering your value outside of your job title

• Using post-employment support when it's offered

• Reframing fear and nervousness • Changing career paths after a layoff

• Starting a business after leaving corporate

• Keeping your vision in front of you when nothing seems to be working

Camille's experience also changed how she thinks about networking.

Instead of asking, "Is there anyone you think I should meet?" she recommends asking:

"Is there anyone you think should meet me?"

That small shift puts you back in the driver's seat at a time when losing your job can make you feel powerless.

Today, Camille also makes a point of maintaining relationships before she needs them. Every quarter, she looks through her contacts and reconnects with people she hasn't spoken with recently.

Her biggest reminder for anyone navigating a layoff:

Your value is not tied to your position or your role. You have value all on your own.

CONNECT WITH CAMILLE:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camille-romero-9228091/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hows.it.working/

Email: camille@howsitworking.net

Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and what comes next.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Tiffany was fired from her first director role. In her next job, she became a top performer and got laid off anyway.

Those two experiences taught her very different lessons about performance, leadership, loyalty, and the danger of tying your value to your work.

In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Tiffany Meyer to talk about getting fired, getting laid off, navigating the shame that can come with job loss, and learning how to grow from the parts of your experience you can control.

When Tiffany was fired, she was a single mom with a daughter in college and no significant financial safety net.

There wasn't time to sit around wondering what came next.

She had to get practical. Apply for jobs. File for unemployment. Cut expenses. Figure it out.

Once the initial shock subsided, Tiffany started asking a harder question:

What role did I play in this?

She realized that in her first director role, she was still operating like an individual contributor. She was doing a tremendous amount of work, but not necessarily the work she was now responsible for as a leader.

Getting fired forced her to see a leadership blind spot she hadn't recognized before.

So she took those lessons into her next role and became determined to perform.

She did.

Then she got laid off anyway.

Tiffany was one of the organization's top performers when a nonprofit lost a major funder and eliminated her position.

That experience taught her another lesson:

Being great at your job does not guarantee job security.

In this episode, we cover:

• Getting fired from your first leadership role

• The shame surrounding being fired

• Job searching without a financial safety net

• Knowing when you've done "enough" in your job search

• Taking accountability without drowning in shame

• Moving from individual contributor to leader

• Recognizing your professional blind spots

• Becoming a top performer and still getting laid off

• Why job security can be an illusion

• Overperforming at the expense of your well-being

• Asking for specific, useful feedback

• Finding mentors who can see what you can't

• Knowing when a job is no longer right for you

• Protecting yourself without abandoning your team

One of the biggest takeaways from Tiffany's story:

There is no reward for self-abandonment in your career.

You can care deeply about your work, your team, and your organization without sacrificing yourself in the process.

If you suspect a layoff may be coming, Tiffany's advice is to listen to that instinct. Keep doing your job, but create healthier boundaries and start putting energy toward what's next. Work your network. Have conversations. Explore other opportunities.

Protecting yourself doesn't make you disloyal.

CONNECT WITH TIFFANY:

Website: www.numamarketing.com

Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, and what comes next.

New episodes every Wednesday.

After 20 years in tech, Ceres Chua found herself asking a question she couldn't ignore anymore: "Is this all there is?"

She had built the career. Climbed the ladder. Earned the titles. Made the money.

Then she got laid off, again.

In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Ceres to talk about her third layoff, walking away from a 20-year corporate career, rebuilding her sense of purpose, and learning to trust herself outside of the structure she'd known for decades.

Ceres had already survived three rounds of layoffs when she finally received her pink slip in 2023.

She thought she was mentally prepared.

Instead, she found herself moving between relief and panic.

One minute, she was grateful to be free from a stressful job that no longer felt meaningful. The next, she was wondering: What do I do now? What is my purpose?

For the first couple of weeks, the freedom felt incredible. Then the days started blending together.

Ceres realized she needed a routine.

Running. Walking. Journaling. Reading. Connecting with friends. Giving herself small things to accomplish each day helped her regain stability and eventually created the mental space to ask bigger questions about what she actually wanted from her life.

Today, Ceres works for herself.

Looking back, she sees the layoff differently.

"This is a sign. Take it."

After 20 years in corporate, she had become accustomed to other people influencing her trajectory through promotions, titles, and opportunities. Building something of her own required her to relearn how to trust herself.

In this episode, we cover:

• Getting laid off after 20 years in tech

• Surviving multiple rounds of layoffs

• Feeling both relieved and terrified after job loss

• Losing your routine and identity after a layoff

• Creating structure when you no longer have a job

• Asking "Is this all there is?" after career success

• Finding purpose beyond titles and salary

• Leaving corporate life behind

• Learning to trust yourself again

• Building a business and online community

• Making meaningful connections online

• Why self-compassion matters during a layoff

• Rebuilding resilience when life feels uncertain

Ceres's advice for someone navigating a layoff is to give yourself compassion while believing you're capable of creating something new.

"The story we tell ourselves will determine how resilient we are."

Your next chapter may take longer than you expect. You may not know exactly where you're going yet.

Trust that you're more capable than you give yourself credit for.

CONNECT WITH CERES:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cereschua/

Email: ceres@themoneymindsetlab.com

Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, and what comes next.

New episodes every Wednesday.